Telephone attachment.



A.- W. LYDA & E. G. ROBINSON TELEPHONE ATTAGHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1908.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

mamma avweu tom) lllllllllllllllTl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR W. LYDA, or PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, AND ELMER o. ROBINSON, or LOWELL- VILLE, 01110.

TELEPHONE ATTAOH'MEN T.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, (1) ARTHUR W. LYDA and (2) ELMER C. ROBINSON, citizens of the United States of America, residing at (1) Pittsburg, (2) Lowellville, in the county of (1) Allegheny, (2) Mahonin and State of (1) Pennsylvania, (2) Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone Attachments, of which the following is a s eciflcation, reference being had therein to t e accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in telephone attachments, and the invention has for its primary object to provide a device which can be ad vantageously attached to the mouthpiece of atelephone in such a manner as to serve as a means for closing the mouthpiece to effectually prevent the entrance of dust or the like when the telephone is not in use; furthermore, to provide a device which may be emloyed for holding a disinfectant; and Still urther to provide a device which may be advanta eously used for advertising purposes, W en in both the open and in the closed position.

The invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts by means of which the objects of the invention are carried into effect, and such construction as is embraced in a practical and preferred embodiment of construction as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, will be hereinafter more specifically described, and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device in the closed position, Fig. 2 is a similar view Showing the closure member in the open position, Fig. 3 is a rear elevation with the closure member in the closed position, Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view with the closure member in the open (position, and the disinfectant pad remove from its holding ring or band, Fig. 5 is a side view of the attachment with the closure member in closed position, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a desk type of telephone, showing the attachment Secured to the mouthpiece thereof and a telephone receiver suspended from the attachment.

To put our invention into practice, we provide a main member in the form of an annulus or ring 1, which at its inner edge is provided with an inwardly projecting annular flange 2, thus producing a central a erture or opening 3 which registers with t e opening in the telephone mouth-piece 4. The Said main member 1 is provided on the rear face of the flange 2 with clamp lugs 5, as many of which may be provided as may be found necessary. These lugs surround the rim of the telephone mouth-piece, and one or more of the same is provided with a set screw 6 by means of which the said main member can be securely fastened to the telephone mouth-piece. It is preferable in ractice to provide at least three of these ugs, two of which will be slightly curved on their inner faces in order to conform to the rim of the telephone mouth-piece. The lug carrying the set screw may be of the same form, or may project at right angles to the flange 2. Projecting from one side of the member 1 is a sleeve 7, interiorly threaded at its outer end to receive a tension regulating screw 8. In the sleeve 7 is a pin or bolt 9, the inner end of which projects beyond the inner face of the ring or annulus 1, and the shoulder 10 of which pin or bolt abuts against the shoulder 11 in the sleeve 7. Between said shoulder 10 and the inner end of the tension regulating screw 8 is a coil spring 12. An arm 14 is carried by an annulus or ring 1 on the lower side of its periphery, and pro jecting forwardly from said arm 14 is a pair of arms 15, which, together with the cross bar at the rear end of said arms constitutes a hook or support for the telephone receiver 16 when it is desired to support the latter from the attachment, instead of from the usual telephone hook carried by the telephone. This telephone Supportin hook is used when it is desired not to cut off connection which has been obtained over the telephone line.

Hinged to the annulus or member 1 as at 17 is a closure member adapted to swing on the main member 1 to open and closed positions with respect to the telephone mouthpiece. This closure member comprises a ring or annulus 18 provided with an annular flange 19, the annulus 18 being adapted to close within the annulus or ring 1, and the flange 19 adapted, when the closure member is in closed position, to fit against the outer edge or face of the annulus or ring 1. The said annulus or rin 18 is provided in its periphery with a notdli or groove 20, so located as to be engaged by the inner end of the pin or looking bolt 9 when the closure member is in closed position. The pin or looking bolt bein a spring pressedrone, pressure against the c osure member will cause the same to be forced into closed position, the pin or locking bolt holding the closure member against accidental displacement. For the purpose of easily opening the closure member, the same is provided with a button or knob 21 on the outer face.

Means is provided for supplying a disinfectant to the telephone mouth-piece, and in the present embodiment of my invention 1 have shown this means as comprising an exteriorly threaded band 22 which engages the interior threads of the annulus 18. In this band is placed a pad 23 provided with a suitable disinfectant, the pad being held in the band 22 by means of a pair of oppositely disosed lugs 24 carried by said band, these ugs also forming a means by which the band carrying the disinfectant pad may be threaded into and out of engagement with the ai1- nulus 18. The said lugs can be engaged by a spanner wrench, or any other suitable implement for removing the band for the purpose of renewing the disinfectant pad, or to have access to the interior of the closure member. The said annulusor ring 18 of the closure member is provided with an annular shoulder 25, which supports the face plate 26 of said closure member. This face plate, in practice, is generally a looking glass, although the said face plate may be used simply for advertising purposes, and the looking glass feature dispensed with. In either event, the face plate is adapted. to be used as a medium for placing advertising matter thereon. YVhen the band 22 is placed in position within the annulus 18, the face plate is securely held in its position.

With a device of this character, it is of necessity a desideratum that advertising space be rovided for to as great an extent as possib e, and with the present construction, we employ the face of the flange 2 which is exposed when the closure member is open, as a surface on which to place an advertisement. Similarly, we employ the face of the disinfectant pad 23 which is exposed when the said closure member is opened for advertising purposes, and also employ the outer face of the closure member for advertising purposes. Where the said outer face of the closure member is also used for a looking glass, the advertising matter can be arranged around the looking glass as shown in the present illustration. \Nhere the looking glass feature is dispensed with, the entire outer face of the closure member or any portion thereof can be used for advertising purposes.

Nith the device attached to the telephone mouth-piece as shown in Fig. 6, it will be observed that the telephone receiver may be hung upon the supporting arms 15, and thus the connection of the telephone will not be I out off. 1 when the closure member is in the closed position withrespect to the telephone mouth-piece, the disinfectant feature involved in the device thoroughly disinfects the mouthpiece of the telephone.

. W hen it is desired to use the telephone, a slight plull on the button or knob 21 will release t e pin or locking bolt and allow the closure member to be swung to the open position as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings that the telephone may be used. On the other hand, should a person be using the telephone and desire to leave the same without shutting off the connection, the closure member can be swung to the closed position, and the telephone receiver hung onthe arms 15, thus shutting 0E from the telephone any conversation that may be held in the vicinity thereof.

While we have herein shown and described a practical and preferable embodiment of the invention as it has been practiced by us, yet we would have it understood that va-v rious changes may be made in the details ofconstruction, such as in the manner of securing the device to a telephone mouth-piece or other like minor features without departing from the general spirit of the invention.

Having now described our invention what we claim as new, is t 1. A telephone attachment comprising a main member embodying an annulus or ring provided with an annular inwardly projecte ing flange, a closure member hinged to the said annulus or ring, a face plate carried by said closure-member, a disinfectant pad carried by the closure-member, and means common to the disinfectant pad and closure plate for securing them within the closuremember.

2. A telephone attachment comprising a main member adaptedto be secured to the mouth-piece of a telephone, means carried thereby for supporting a telephone receiver, a closure member hinged to the main member to swing to open and closed with respect to the tele hone mout'i piece,

means for swinging the c osure plate carried by the main member, and a spring-pressed locking bolt carried by the main memberfor engagement with the closure member for normally securing the latter in closed position.

3. A telephone attachment comprising a main member adapted to be secured to the mouth-piece of a telephone and embodying an annulus having an inwardly roj'ecting annular flange, a closure member iinged to the main member to swing to open and closed positions with respect to the telephone mouth-piece and embodying an annular flange adapted to lie within the annulus when the closure member is in the closed position, means carried by the annulus'of the main member for engagement with the anosi-tion' nular flange of the closure member to normally retain the latter in a closed position, and a disinfectant pad carried Within the annular flan e of the closure member.

4. A te ephone attachment comprising a main member embodying an annulus, means on the rear face thereof for clamping the main member to the mouth-piece of a telephone, an arm depending from the annulus and having a supporting hook at its lower end, the closure member hinged to the main member to swing to open and closed ositions with respect thereto and embo ying an annulus having a removable annular flange adapted to lie within the annulus of the main member when the closure member is in closed osition, and means carried by said removaflle annular flange for securing a disinfectant ad therein.

5. A telep one attachment comprising a main member adapted to be secured to the mouth-piece of a telephone and embodying an annulus having an inwardlyrojecting annular flange, a closure member inged to the main member to swing to open and closed positions with respect to the telephone mouth-piece and embodying an annular flange ada ted to lie Within the annulus when the cl dsure member is in a closed position, and means carried by the main member for engagement with the annular flange of the closure member to normally retain the latter in a closed position.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

ARTHUR l/V. LYDA. ELMER O. ROBINSON. l/Vitnesses:

MAX H. SROLOVITZ, A. J. TRIGG. 

